Tuck’s Point Mass and Cookout
The parishes of Sacred Heart and St. John get together during this annual outing to enjoy the tranquil beauty of Tucks’ Point.
2023 Fall Fun Fest
Hosted By Masconomo Council Knights Of Columbus
Saturday September 9th 1:00pm—5:00pm
Parking Lot To Rear Of Sacred Heart Church
School Street Manchester By The Sea
Bouncy House Covered Maze Face Painting Games Of Skill, Hot Dogs, Cotton Candy, and Pop Corn.
The Tootsie Roll campaign does make a difference
Here’s a photo of Ian in his new bike courtesy of KOC. He loves it. The Tootsie Roll campaign does make a difference.
This is why the Tootsie Roll Drive is so important for all councils to do.
Drive for Sox to benefit Boston area homeless shelters
The Masconomo Council of the Knights of Columbus is running a “Drive for Sox” from now until the Red Sox begin Spring Training in late February. Look for the bins in the back of Sacred Heart Church and St. John the Baptist Church labelled “Sock Drive”. We accept donations of all kinds of socks, but they need to be new and clean!
It may sound like a small thing, but clean socks are a big deal for those struggling with homelessness or health problems. Your donation will go toward Fr. John Capuci’s “Sock Ministry”. Fr. John is a friend of Fr. Paul’s. He started his Sock Ministry in New Orleans, and now that Fr. John has moved to Burlington, MA, he has continued his Sock Ministry to benefit Boston area homeless shelters.
As the cold weather bears down on us, please do your part and donate a few (or more!) pairs of socks to the bins in the back of the church before the end of February. Thanks for your help!
Fall Fun Fest
The Fall Fun Fest hosted by the Masconomo Council 1232 Knights of Columbus-Manchester by the Sea Sunday afternoon September 18th was a huge success judging by scores of kids and families who trekked to Sacred Heart Church, Visitation Parish to join in the fun, games, food and friendship. As promised, in the church parking lot, kids found a bouncy house, an amazing inflatable obstacle course, “Everyone’s a Winner” carnival games, face painting, and food galore: snow cones, cotton candy, popcorn, hot dogs and burgers.
Council 1232 Grand Knight Phil Monahan said, “This Fall Fun Fest met our objectives as a fun, affordable – essentially free- event to bring kids and families together as the summer winds down.”
Masconomo Council 1232 Local Philanthropy
Of the three founding principles of the Knights of Columbus- Charity, Fraternity and Unity, charity is first as the Order was founded as a charitable organization to care for those in need – immigrants, widows and orphans and those in need of a helping hand. In our day it may include those challenged by food insecurity, lack of adequate health care and the stress of rising inflation.
Every year Masconomo Council 1232 has two major fund raisers. The first ended early in June. Its purpose was obvious. Every year money raised funds The Father Jack Gentleman Memorial Scholarship program for graduating seniors. This year we awarded fourteen $500 scholarships. Over the past 17 years, the Council has fundraised and awarded a total of 101 scholarships to recognize the accomplishments of our graduates.
The other fundraiser is the council’s Annual Fall Fundraiser, which begins in the summer. It is a familiar activity centered around a raffle whose prizes are donations of cash, and gift certificates for hotels, restaurants and Cape Ann area businesses. For more than ten years, the Annual Fall Fundraiser has been the council’s major means of raising revenue.
It’s natural to ask where does the money go. Now is the perfect time ask. May ended our 2021-2022 fraternal year. A new year begins in June
So here is our accounting of funds spent in support of our charitable mission:
- Every year Council 1232 helps support two parishes and three churches- Visitation Parish-Sacred Heart, Manchester by the Sea and St John the Baptist, Essex, and St Paul’s, Hamilton. This year we also sponsored a seminarian studying for the priesthood at St John’s Seminary.
- Contributions were made to the Councils on Aging for the towns of Essex, Hamilton and Manchester by the Sea
- We donated manpower and funds in support of the Beverly Community Supper
- We supported The Open Door Food Pantry with a $500 donation and our ongoing 24/7 food drive
- Likewise, we supported the excellent work of Beverly Boot Straps Resource Center and Food Pantry with a $500 donation
- The outstanding work of Meals on Wheels, Senior Care, Gloucester was recognized with a donation of $500
- We donated $250 for those who received the compassionate hospice care of Care Dimensions, Kaplan House
- In memory of all individuals and families valiantly confronting the ravages of Alzheimers Disease, the Council donated $500 to the Alzheimer’s Association of Massachusetts
- The North Shore Veterans’ Council of Beverly received a donation of $500 to veterans’ transition assistance programs
- A $500 donation was sent to the Hooper Fund, Manchester by-the Sea supporting its efforts
- Masconomo Council 1232 paid for a CAMPS, Christ As My Personal Savior, summer camper’s tuition of $561
- $500 supporting Northeast ARC, a program for the developmentally disabled.
- Supported Bishop Fenwick High School Sports—Golf Tourney
- Fund raised and gave $500 scholarships to 14 high school graduates (101 scholarships in 17 years)
- Donated to Hurricane and Tornado relief funds established by national KofC
- Manpower donated to build Specialty Shed for Sale. Funds raised to aid Christians at Risk and Persecuted in the Middle East (50% of 2022 proceeds to Ukraine refugees)
- Funds raised directly aided Ukraine refugees in crisis via KofC website (more than $4,000 raised) and sales of ribbons and wrist bands (goal of $1,000 raised)
- Funds locally raised in October Tootsie Roll drive benefitted special needs children
- Collected 300 winter coats and donated locally to the needy of Cape Ann
- Collected 1,000 pairs of socks donated to local homeless shelters
- Funds raised, $3,500 seed money, enabled an area pregnancy resource center to purchase a needed ultrasound system that allowed mothers to see their developing babies in the womb
- And finally, Masconomo Council 1232 voted unanimously to donate $500 to our sister parish Sacred Heart church, Uvalde, Texas for its pastor to use in whatever way he feels will promote healing in a community whose heart is broken.
Grand Knight Phil Monahan observed “So there you have it. Council 1232 raises funds to support worthwhile causes near and far. We get to give.
“We thank you in advance for your support in the year ahead.”
14 Scholarships awarded to the class of 2022
MASCONOMO COUNCIL 1232 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS MANCHESTER by the SEA AWARDS 14 SCHOLARSHIPS TO GRADUATING SENIORS OF THE CLASS OF 2022
For the past 17 years Masconomo Council 1232 Knights of Columbus Manchester by the Sea has awarded scholarships to graduating high schools seniors from Cape Ann communities. Seven years ago, the grants were renamed The Father Jack Gentleman Memorial Scholarship program.
Since its inception the program has honored 101 graduates. This year on Sunday June 05, 2022 at St John the Baptist Church, Essex , 14 graduating seniors were presented $500 checks in recognition of their accomplishments and the service to the community and church.
The 2022 recipients are:
Andrew Cressey, Aidan Cunningham, Connor Cunningham, Christopher Daly, Emma Fitzgerald, Aiden Harrison, Colin Harrison, Mia Leonard, Darcy Muller, Ema O’Neil, Ambrose Pallazola, Ainsley Tully, Mairin Tully, and Reese Tully.
William Busta, Past Grand Knight and Father Jack Gentleman Scholarship Fund co- chair, said, “Masconomo Council 1232 is pleased to award these Father Jack Scholarships to these outstanding students and fine representatives of their hometowns. They are a credit to their parents. By their record of engagement and commitment to education they exemplify the hope of Father Jack that our youth always will aim high and build bright futures.”
The 2022 recipients of the Father Jack Gentleman Memorial Scholarships are shown accepting their symbolic checks at Sunday Mass at St John’s Essex celebrated by Father Paul Flammia, pastor of Visitation Parish Manchester and Essex. Representing the Knights of Columbus were Bill Busta and Tom Finn.
Council 1232 helps Haverhill Pregnancy Clinic obtain Ultrasound System
Council 1232 Knights of Columbus, Manchester by the Sea, Enables Haverhill Pregnancy Clinic to Obtain Long Needed Ultrasound System
Masconomo Council’s $12,300 gift matched by Knights of Columbus Culture of Life Fund
Manchester by the Sea, MA, April 08,2022—Pro-Life issues advocacy is fundamental to the Knights of Columbus. The Knights choose to support human life, born and unborn, from conception to natural death. That is a matter of faith and policy.
For Council 1232 Knights of Columbus Manchester by -the Sea that policy became practice when it reached out to the Pregnancy Care Center of Merrimack Valley.
Bill Casey, Executive Director of the center, informed Tom Finn, program director of Council 1232, that their Haverhill Center was in need of a state-of-the-art ultrasound machine to visually show expectant mothers the miracle of life they all carry within their wombs. He said unfortunately it was out of their reach financially.
Finn assured him Council 1232 could and would partner with the national Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative to purchase the system it prefers.
After conferring with the Council’ s membership to approve funds for the project and after pursuing private donations from pro-life advocates, which together with the Council’s funds would comprise 50 percent of the Ultrasound’s purchase price, Finn assured the balance would be provided by Knights of Columbus Supreme headquarters, based in New Haven, Connecticut.
Phil Monahan, Grand Knight of Masconomo Council 1232, Manchester by-the Sea declared, “We are glad to offer financial assistance to the Pregnancy Care Center. It is an asset that provides a welcome helping hand to women and couples in need at a time when they seek love, care, and guidance. The new ultrasound at the center will visually make babies come alive for expectant parents. It will ease the way for them to choose life for their unborn baby.”
“Mothers ambivalent about carrying a pregnancy to full term will now see their unborn babies alive with arms, legs, hands, feet, fingers, and toes. What they will see is unquestionably a developing baby. Once a parent sees that it is hard not to choose life- one’s own flesh and blood.”
The ultrasound system gift to the Haverhill center was stimulated by Knight Tom Finn, of Beverly Farms, who was impressed by the quality of counseling and post-partum support available to mothers in the group’s care centers throughout the Merrimack Valley in Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill.
Three months ago, the Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative marked a major milestone when it installed the 1,500th ultrasound system funded through the Initiative. That system was installed in New Brunswick, NJ at The First Choice Women’s Resource Center. As with the Haverhill Center, the Ultrasound was funded by local Knights with a 100% match by the Order’s Culture of Life Fund.
At the presentation of the New Brunswick NJ Ultrasound system, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly said, “Knights of Columbus believe in the dignity and worth of every human life. We work tirelessly through prayer and action to support mothers and their children, both born and unborn.”
Since the Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative began in January,2008, more than 1500 ultrasound systems have been installed at pregnancy centers in all 50 states. They and related post- partum support have a value of $72 million.
Bill Casey noted, “For many women, an unplanned pregnancy can be a real crisis. Our secular society lies to these very women by telling them that it is ok to terminate the pregnancy by saying; it’s only a clump of cells, an abortion will make it all go away, no one needs to know, it’s your body / your choice. They never discuss the termination of a life. They never tell the truth about the serious risks to their physical and mental health associated with terminating their pregnancy.”
He emphasized, “Through this generous donation by Council 1232 and the matching funds provided by the Supreme Council, we now have our third ultrasound machine, one for each of our three locations in the Merrimack Valley. The Knights of Columbus have made this dream become a reality.”
He continued, “The ability to show the mother their actual baby makes a profound impact. It creates a moment where God can touch the mother’s heart and help her to know that there is a life in her womb. A precious life that He created.”